Happy Pongal

Bhogi Festival

Bonfire

 Bhogi is the first day of Pongal, celebrated in honor of the rain god indra. He is worshipped because he gives good rain, which in turn gives good harvest. On Bhogi all people clean out their homes from top to bottom, and collect all unwanted goods. This day is meant for domestic activities and of being together with the family members

Many houses are thoroughly scrubbed and whitewashed. and decorated with “Kolam” – floor designs drawn in the white paste of newly harvested rice with outlines of red mud. Often pumpkin flowers are set into cow-dung balls and placed among the patterns

Special prayers are performed on the first day of Pongal before the cutting of paddy. Farmers worship the sun and the earth by anointing their ploughs and sickles with sandalwood paste. It is with these consecrated tools that the newly-harvested rice is cut

Another ritual observed on this day is the bonfire, when useless household articles are thrown into a fire made of wood and cow-dung cakes. All the old things are burned and you start the new month of Thai with New things.

Pongal O Pongal